The present invention relates to biomarkers associated with a cancer and, more particularly, to a panel of biomarkers and a method of using them to evaluate and identify early prostate cancer diagnosis and prognosis without the need for a biopsy.
Currently, there are no reliable biomarkers available to stratify abnormal or cancer versus normal individuals that do not involve a biopsy and histology exam by a specialist. Biopsies require the medical removal of tissue from a living subject in order to make the determination of the presence or extent of a disease; as a result, such procedures can be traumatic and fraught with many of the risks of having surgery. Other commonly used methods of evaluating prostate cancer involve the analysis of prostate specific antigen (PSA) and the use of digital rectal examination (DRE) screenings; however, such methods provide abstruse results leading to both under and over treatment of prostate cancer subjects.
As can be seen, there is an urgent need for a panel of biomarkers and a method of using them to evaluate and identify early cancer diagnosis and prognosis without the need for a biopsy.